November travel plans: Southeast Asia, baby!

As my summer is flying by with non-stop weekends of art festivals and business travel, I have been patiently waiting until my November vacation. My husband Kurt and I are going to Southeast Asia with a small group and a guide for three and a half weeks in November! It took some convincing on my part for Kurt to agree to taking that much consecutive time off work, but my persistence paid off! (I guess it was me repeatedly saying "if you don't go, you will be making a very LAME choice" that did him in :).
The beauty of this trip, aside from us going to the lands we've never seen before, is that we don't have to do much planning. We will actually have a guide who will be arranging all of our travels for us and taking us around, for a very, very reasonable price ($1150 per person, including all transportation, overnights and breakfasts! Wow). We will mostly be exploring Vietnam and Cambodia, and will finish our journey off in Bangkok, Thailand, from where we will fly back home. 

(Vietnam photo borrowed from kitakyushu.iges.or.jp)

Below is the itinerary of our upcoming trip. I thought it would be fun to share it for those who might be thinking of traveling to Asia and planning a trip on their own, and particularly for those who are interested in traveling to Vietnam. A couple of interesting things: we will be crossing into Cambodia by boat on Mekong Delta, and to cross into Thailand you actually have to get out of the bus and walk across the border.

Fri, 11/6  Arrive in Hanoi, check in, and stroll through old town. 

Sat,11/7 Hanoi: After watching or joining the sports and taiji activities at Hoan Kiem Lake in the early morning, enjoy breakfast, then set out to see the sights. Walk through city streets to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum area, where we visit the museum and residence (the mausoleum itself will be closed). Returning to the Old Quarter, enjoy a lunch at Dong Xuan Market, followed by an extensive walking tour through the guild-based alleys of the bustling town. Learn about the ancient and modern history of this bustling metropolis.

Sun, 11/8 Halong: Take a bus to Halong Bay, the fantastic Guilin-type limestone-karst rock formations off the coast with its over 700 island, created according to legend when a mighty dragon crashed into the ocean.  Arrive at the ocean around noon and transfer to a boat, then enjoy lunch and relish the scenery with its islands and parks. Stop at various islands to wander through Thien Cung (Heavenly) Grotto and see Do Go, the Caves of Stakes, where General Tran Hung Dao repelled the Mongol invaders. Land on Cat Ba Island. After checking into the hotel and dinner, enjoy a quiet night on the sea. 

Mo, 11/9 Halong: Continue to explore Halong Bay, hike up island hills, relax while gliding over the ocean, maybe take a dip or snorkle in the sea. After lunch on the boat, return to the shore and catch a bus back to Hanoi. 

Tu, 11/10 Hanoi: Take your own time to enjoy Hanoi. Stroll at leisure through the city streets, bargain and shop, explore parts that you haven’t seen: the Opera House, the “Hanoi Hilton” prison museum, the Temple of Literature, or the History Museum. Alternatively, enjoy a relaxing massage at a spa or take in a performance at the Water Puppet Theater. Leave around 6:30 pm for an overnight bus ride to Hue. 

 Wd, 11/11 Hue: Arrive in the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) around 8 in the morning. Leave around 10 for a walk across the bridge of the Perfume River (Song Huang) to explore the remains of the great Citadel, seat of the emperor and heavily embattled after the Tet Offensive.  Pick up a lunch in the old town, then go off to do various optional things: rent a bike to pedal along the river to Thien Mu Pagoda, take a boat tour on the river, or rent a taxi to visit imperial tombs. Come back to have dinner at the Japanese restaurant, run by street kids rescued by a Japanese school teacher, the first foreigner to be granted citizenship of the city. 

Th, 11/12 Hoi An: Leave Hue at 8 to arrive in Hoi An around noon. Settle in, then get oriented by taking a leisurely walk around town. Relish the traditional architecture and historic sites of this port and trading post, central to Vietnamese commerce in the 16^th-18^th centuries. Enjoy watching the making of handicrafts and a performance of traditional art. Also: this is the time to order clothes made in one of the hundreds of tailor shops. 

Fr, 11/13 Hoi An: Your own day in Hoi An. Pick from several possible excursions: an organized tour to My Son, a major site of Champa ruins about 15 miles out of town; a trip to Danang to see the city with its Caodai Temple and major Cham museum, about 1 hour away; a bike ride along the Thu Bon River and past rice paddies to the ocean at Cua Dai Beach to hang out, swim, or walk; an excursion to Cham Island, 5 miles off the coast; or cooking a course at Red Bridge Cooking School. Don’t forget to pick up your newly made finery after returning to town.  

Sat., 11/14 On the Road: Leaving at 7 am, take the bus to Nha Trang, where we arrive around 5 pm. Check in and relax, then enjoy a stroll on the beach, sample some of the extensive street food, and/or go for dinner in one of the many restaurants. 

Sun, 11/15 Nha Trang: Walk along the extensive beach and enjoy the scenery; look in at the local market; visit the main Champa temple. In the afternoon enjoy a luscious massage and spa treatment, complete with sauna, steam room, and hot tub. Relax for dinner. 

Mo, 11/16 Dalat: Leaving Nha Trang at 8 am, we arrive in the mountain resort of Dalat, the capital of of Khanh Hoa Provice by early afternoon. A jewel of a town at 4000 feet above sea level, it was founded in 1897 by a Swiss geologist as a summer escape for colonial French and it also known as Little Paris. The home of the Lat and Koho hilltribes, the town boosts beautiful architecture, lakes, and waterfalls and is a major favorite for Vietnamese weddings. After settling into the hotel, we have lunch and take a leisurely walk to explore the city, seeing the main market, the French Quarter, the Linh Son Pagoda, the Crazy House, and Emperor Bao Dai’s summer palace,. 

Tu, 11/17 Dalat: Your day in Dalat. Take an organized tour around city and mountains; hire a guide for a planned day trek; hike around town to visit the flower garden and enjoy the scenery; take the cable car to Quang Trung Reservoir to hire a canoe or paddle boat; visit the Valley of Love and the Lake of Sighs; or just relax and shop. 

 Wd, 11/18 Saigon: Leaving Dalat around 7, we arrive around 2 pm in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the official name of the sprawling metropolis of 19 districts. Settle in the hotel, then go for a walking tour of District 1, the colonial center along the Saigon River (Saigon proper), marveling at the amazing French nature of the city, enjoying wide avenues and gorgeous architecture, and seeing Notre Dame Cathedral, the Reunification Palace, City Hall, and the Opera House. Upon returning to our neighborhood of Pham Ngu Lao, relish its many shops and vendors and take a leisure stroll through the phenomenal Ben Thanh market.  

Thu, 11/19 Saigon: Stay in town to explore different areas, such as Chinatown with its lovely temples and great vegetable markets, followed by a relaxing spa and massage; venture out to see various palaces and museums; or take an organized tour to Cao Dai Holy See and the Cu Chi tunnels. 

Fri, 11/20 Mekong Delta: Take a very short bus ride from Saigon to My Tho on the Mekong, then enjoy the town, then continue by boat through various river branches and canals to Chau Doc for an overnight on the banks of the river.

Sat., 11/21 River Boat: Leaving at 8 am, take a slow and gentle boat up the Mekong River and cross into Cambodia to Phnom Penh to arrive a 4 pm. Settle into the hotel and explore the immediate neighborhood, then have a leisurely dinner. 

Sun, 11/22 Phnom Penh: Your day in Phnom Penh. Visit the Royal Palace (make sure to wear appropriate clothing: long trousers or skirt, closed shoes—no open heels, flip-flops—and shirt that covers the shoulders), Wat Phnom, and maybe the National Museum. Stroll along the amazing river front that sees the confluence of Tongle Sap and Mekong Rivers, enjoy the various temples, and browse through the main downtown market. Maybe also take an excursion to the notorious Killing Fields by motorbike taxi. 

Mo, 11/23 Siem Reap: A short bus ride to Siem Reap, the city near the Angkor Wat complex. After arrival in the early afternoon, check in and explore the town with its traditional French architecture and extensive markets. Marvel at the Disneyland atmosphere in an otherwise impoverished and ravaged country. Have a fancy dinner or eat on the street. Make sure to plan your visit of the ruins for the next day—deciding how to go: taxi ($?), moto-riksha ($6), or bicycle ($2).  

Tu, 11/24 Angkor Wat: Spend the whole day climbing the ancient ruins, marveling at the many different sites, temples, and palaces, and learning about this amazing culture in the Cambodian jungle. 

Wd, 11/25 Transit to Bangkok: By chartered van to the border, walk across, then take a coach to the city. Arrive at Khao San Road, check in, and relax. Enjoy a tasty dinner in one of the many restaurants and explore the street markets. 

Th, 11/26 Bangkok: Get up early to enjoy qigong in the park at 5:30, then have Chinese breakfast in the market, or sleep in and eat a leisurely Western meal. Walk over to explore the Royal Palace (again, appropriate clothing required) and the famous Wat Po (temple), strolling along open street markets along the way. In the afternoon get a relaxing Thai massage or swim in the hotel pool. Maybe walk along the river or explore the innumerable shops and restaurants in the neighborhood. 

Fri, 11/27 Bangkok: Head north to the incredible weekend market; go downtown to India town and Chinatown; see the famous Silom Road with its many jewelry shops; take the river taxi up and down the river; hire a boat for an extensive klong tour; see the famous Jim Thompson House; visit more temples, such as Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn; or go on an organized tour to the Rose Garden, Bridge over the River Kwai, Crocodile Farm. Share a farewell dinner with everyone in a Bangkok restaurant. 

Sat, 11/28 Return to the U.S.